Arts & Entertainment Community

Harbor Happenings: Halloween edition

If the red and gold leaves aren’t a clue, the carved pumpkins and spider web-draped porches are a sure sign that it’s Halloween season. And it’s back in full force after a two-year shut-down.

Downtown festivities

Downtown businesses are stocking up with treats and decorating their windows for the return of Trick-or-Treat in the Harbor on Oct. 31.

Harborview Drive will be closed between Soundview Drive and Rosedale Street, and Pioneer Way will be closed between Harborview Drive and Tarabochia Street, from 2 to 6 p.m. on Halloween. The actual trick or treating is from 3 to 6 p.m.

The downtown Trick-or-Treat in the Harbor returns from 3 to 6 p.m. Monday, Oct. 31, in downtown Gig Harbor. Gig Harbor Downtown Waterfront Alliance

In addition to free treats at most shops, Harbor Dance will present a “spook-tacularly thrilling” performance at Skansie Park from 4:30-5 p.m., according to Mary DesMarias, executive director of the Downtown Waterfront Alliance.

The Church of the Nazarene will have a Trunk or Treat event from 3 to 6 p.m. on Halloween. The church is at 7721 Pioneer Way.

The downtown Trick-or-Treat in the Harbor returns from 3 to 6 p.m. Monday, Oct. 31, in downtown Gig Harbor. Gig Harbor Downtown Waterfront Alliance

Uptown events

Across town, the Halloween celebration at Uptown kicks off at 10 a.m. Oct. 31, as professional giant pumpkin carver Russ Leno sharpens his tools and starts working on the giant – yes, it’s huge – pumpkin.

He’ll be at the pavilion all day, whittling away, and plans to be finished around 4:30 p.m.

Professional pumpkin-carver Russ Leno will be at Gig Harbor Uptown starting at 10 a.m. on Halloween day.

Stop by the pavilion between noon and 6 p.m. – wearing your Halloween costume – and snap a photo of yourself with the giant pumpkin, then guess the weight of the pumpkin. Send your photo, along with your guess, to [email protected]. The winner will be announced Nov. 3.

Or enter Uptown’s pumpkin-carving contest. Just drop off your home-carved jack-o-lantern at the pavilion between 3:30 and 5 p.m. Leave your pumpkin at the pavilion while you trick-or-treat at the participating Uptown merchants from 4-6 p.m.

Leno, the giant pumpkin carver, will choose the winner at 5:30 p.m. and the winner will get a prize. You must be present to win, and all the jack-o-lanterns must be taken home that evening.

Then head to the Galaxy Theaters for a 6 p.m. showing of “Casper” ($2 per ticket).

Rattle Dem Dones

The annual Rattle-dem-Bones bike ride takes place Oct. 30, with three ride options:

• The “Mini Monster” course, approximately 15 miles long, is for families and cyclists who “don’t want to be heroes,” according to an email from the ride organizers. On this route, participants can ride as far as they want, and volunteers will be stationed along the route to help at intersections and hand out treats. The “mini monster” ride starts at 9 a.m. at the Kimball Drive Park and Ride.

Tigger participated in the Rattle Dem Bones Bike Ride and Costume Contest in 2019. Photos courtesy of Paige Wells/Hushed Revelry Photography

• The “Son of Monster” and “Monster Hill” rides (22 and 36 miles respectively) start at 8 a.m. Son of Monster has an elevation gain of 1,400 feet; Monster Hill has a 2,300 feet gain.

All rides start at the Kimball Drive Park & Ride and officially end at noon with a post-ride party and costume contest.

The ride is limited to 200 participants. For registration and other information click here.

Not just Halloween

• Harbor WildWatch presents the latest installment of Cocktails & Fishtales at 6 p.m. Oct. 26 on Facebook LIVE. Learn about larval crab monitoring from the staff at the Beker Lab at UW Tacoma.
• The Gig Harbor Library’s Afterschool Thursday on Oct 27 features a kid-oriented science and art project at 5 p.m. The library is at 4424 Point Fosdick Drive.
• Also at the Gig Harbor library: Play time – with building toys – for families with toddlers and young children, from 10 to 11:30 a.m. Friday, Oct. 28.

Looking ahead

The library has family-oriented story time — with art activities, songs, poems, finger plays and, of course, stories — from 11-11:45 a.m. Tuesday, Nov. 1.

The library celebrates Dia de los Muertos, a day to remember loved ones who have passed, on Wednesday, Nov. 2. Activities include tissue paper crafts, music, stories and sharing traditional foods.

Chess Club starts Nov. 3 at the library. The group will meet every Thursday from 5:45-6:45 p.m.

The annual Write in the Harbor conference takes place at the Tacoma Community College Gig Harbor Campus Nov. 4 and 5, with sessions on fiction and non-fiction writing; plot development; character development; planning and motivation for poets and more. Click here for details.